Hi everyone! After a short hiatus, I’m back! I took last week off because I was felled by a miserable cold, and also because I needed to get ahead on some of the preliminary steps in setting up my manuscript for eventual publication. The book is still a year away from seeing the light of day, but publishers like getting on top of things as soon as possible, asking for opinions on what the cover will look like, what the book jacket will say, and how the book will be marketed. It’s fun to think about how your work will turn out, I have to admit, but it is daunting to see how many steps need to be taken between now and the book’s arrival. Even though this is the third time I’ve gone through the process, it always seems like there is so much work to get done and not nearly enough time. I will keep you all posted on future developments.

This week, we’re going back to October 25, 1972, and the expansion Atlanta Flames are in Oakland to take on the Seals. It was not a good night, like most nights during that first WHA-depleted-roster season. The Flames, like their expansion cousins from Long Island, were not expected to be in the playoff mix that year, but they were strong defensively, and surprisingly competitive overall. Overall, the Seals went 2-7-1 against the two expansionists, so you get an idea of how much the Golden Ones struggled that year. At that point, however, the season was still young, and no one was really out of the playoff picture just yet. Coach Garry Young put on a brave face and said all the right things to the media about how the team’s future looked bright, and how it was just a question of his players getting more experience, but in retrospect, we all know how things turned out. You can check out this week’s new article right here.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! As you can see by this week’s blog title, I have some good news and bad news to discuss. You can probably guess what the bad news is, if you’ve been following the playoffs. Yes, those dastardly Toronto Maple Leafs somehow managed to not screw things up and finally disposed of the Ottawa Senators, breaking the hearts of my adopted hometown. Booooo! And, of course, I wasn’t too thrilled to watch my Habs bow out in the first round, but I can’t be too bummed out about that since six months ago, I wouldn’t have given them a snowball’s chance in hell at making the playoffs. As one of my colleagues (and a fellow Habs fan) said this week, “I’m just happy they improved… the rest is candy.” Expectations were low this year, but they will be sky high next year, and I’m already looking forward to October.

Speaking of October, I have another reason to get excited about Halloween time. I’m happy to announce that I have secured a publishing deal to have my third book released, tentatively titled Mucking in the Corners: Unearthing the 1970s Quirkiest Hockey Tales. I still have to complete the manuscript so that it fits in with the vision of the publisher, but what I can tell you for sure is that the book will be a series of short stories under the common theme of “forgotten moments and personalities” and that there will be a few Seals tales included as well. I believe that every player — from the game’s legends to its journeymen — has a story to tell, and I hope that the tales I’ve written will tickle ribs and make readers smile. Since I will be on the lookout for photos I can include in the book, if anyone out there owns the rights to any photos featuring NHL or WHA players, and you would like to contribute to my book, I would love to see what you’ve got, and if the photos are a good fit, I will give you credit for your contribution to the finished work. I will keep you all posted on the progress of the book, so stay tuned!

That news was a little out of the blue, I must say. I was hoping to hear from potential publishers later in the spring, if at all. Much like the night Wayne Merrick pumped in a record three goals and three assists versus Washington in early January 1976, I was taken aback by this sudden turn of events. This week, I’ve added a piece published shortly after Merrick’s big night. It is another one of those wonderful fluff pieces that was included in Goal game programs at that time, and like the many of the others I’ve posted to this site, thanks goes out to Pete Manzolillo for not only hanging on to these articles for nearly 50 years, but for also sending them to me so that I could share them with you.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a relaxing Easter weekend. I know I sure did. Got to enjoy some delicious Quebec-style pizza — yes, there is such a thing… and while it is no Cornwall, Ontario style pizza, it is pretty damn good! My bathroom scale had the sad responsibility of informing me upon my return home that I had gained four pounds over the weekend. For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been on a bit of a weight-loss-and-healthy-eating journey the last fifteen months, and overall it has been delightful seeing the pounds melt away slowly but surely, so any deviation from my plan makes me cringe. Thankfully, I’ve been able to burn most of those four pounds off this week, so I feel better about that, and I can just accept that once in a while there are going to be times when I can’t avoid salt, sugar, and fat as much as I’d like.

Anyhoo, it’s playoff time once again, and that means that every game means a little more than before. Even a Game One loss sticks in your craw, and as the series progresses, the tension just increases to the point where a heart attack or stroke becomes a real possibility. So let’s relax just a bit, shall we? Let’s look back at some lighter moments in Seals history. This week, I’ve added two new Lee Susman cartoons for your enjoyment. I’m not saying the moments illustrated in these cartoons were light. Oh no, in fact, in one case, the cartoon captured something downright awful, and in the other case, it was merely bad. Either way though, it is an interesting snapshot of what it was like to be following the Seals long before the Internet was ever a thing. Thanks again to Bob Marceau for sending these and all the other Susman cartoons my way.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! This week, we’re continuing our trip through the 1975-76 season and putting the spotlight on one of the Seals’ less-heralded players, the late Bob Girard. I really didn’t know what kind of introduction to write for this week’s article, which I had randomly picked out a few days ago from a couple of articles sent to me by Pete Manzolillo. I thought I would just take a gander at HockeyReference.com to see if today had any special significance in Bobby Girard’s life. Lo and behold, it turns out that April 12 (1949) is his birthday, so I was pretty blown away by the coincidence. In fact, I was actually going to post this yesterday, not at all knowing the significance of April 12, but since I got held up with other things I decided to wait until today. Nevertheless, it turns out that my arbitrary choice of article was rather fitting. Girard’s rookie season ranks as one of the best in franchise history, but since he was a less flashy player than Dennis Maruk and Bob Murdoch, and he was known more for his work in the corners, he received little attention from the press, but Joe DeLoach wrote a nice piece on Girard for one of the Seals’ game programs, which you can read right here.

FYI, I will be away next weekend, so there will be no new posting, but I will be back the following week. Happy Easter to all, if you celebrate the holiday, and if you don’t, please enjoy the four-day weekend. Hopefully, spring will be in full force by that time, and snow storms will be a thing of the past.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! As most of you regular visitors know, I am a die-hard Montreal Canadiens fan. As much as I love the Seals, they were long gone before I was even born, and growing up just an hour outside of Montreal (and years before the Ottawa Senators were reborn), I became a Habs fan. I’ve seen lots of highs and lots of lows as well. I’m delighted however that this season has certainly seen more highs than lows. Whether they make the playoffs this year or not is irrelevant. What matters most is that the team has improved itself to the point where they are actually playing as a team rather than a collection of individuals. There are four solid lines emerging, some strong goaltending, and a few other surprises (Lane Hutson, anyone?) that have made Montreal games enjoyable again. What I feel has been the biggest difference, however, is that the Habs have finally learned to play half-decent defense. Last year, the team would get outshot 35-16 and 41-22 almost every night. Now, the shot totals are just about even, and when they are not, the gap between shots for and against is small. The defense has shown a remarkable improvement and it has shown in the standings.

Back in 1975-76, the Seals finally started turning that same corner, playing a more competitive style of hockey and reducing the goals against. It resulted in more wins than they had seen since 1969, and a real shot at the playoffs. Sure, the Seals never did reach the post-season, but they gave their fans hope. Games were fun once again, and even the heavyweights like Boston, Montreal, and Philadelphia knew that the Seals were no longer an easy two points. This week, I’ve posted another Ron McGrath article from late January 1976 where he gives the Seals’ unheralded, but hard-working defense crew its due. When people think of the Seals’ last NHL season, the spotlight is always on the 3-M Line, but the defense played a pivotal role in making the Seals competitive once again. You can read the article right here. Thanks to Pete Manzolillo for sending this piece my way.

Take care, and enjoy the rest of the weekend! Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! Over the years, if I’ve learned one thing, it is that making predictions can be a risky endeavour. Speaking your mind, well, you may get some eye rolls, but after everyone at the party has had a few rum and Cokes, no one will remember what you said. On paper though? Well, I’ve learned that this can go one of two ways: either you hit the nail right on the head, and years later you look like a freakin’ genius, or you say something dumb that will come back to haunt you years later when readers of the future have the power of hindsight to shed light on your faux pas. Remember how last summer everyone thought that the Nashville Predators were going to run roughshod over the Western Conference with Steve Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei? Or how the Philadelphia Flyers were on the cusp of greatness? Sure, I may have agreed with those opinions back then too, but at least I didn’t have the bright idea of writing it down for future generations to gawk at.

This week, we’re going back to 1976, and the Seals are riding high. The future is bright, and records are falling left right and center. In fact, the Seals’ 3-M Line featured possibly the best left wing, right wing, and center combinations they ever had. How couldn’t you feel like the world would soon be the Seals’ for the taking. After all, the team was diamond-studded with talent… at least that’s what some people thought. In one game program, the Seals’ Director of Public Relations, whose job it was to make the team look good, wrote an interesting piece praising the Seals for their skill at drafting and signing young talent. After all, how many other teams could boast owning both the Central League and International League champions? Signs certainly pointed to a bright future for the Bay Area club, except that it wasn’t. In fact, not only did the club not win a NHL championship, they would cease to exist in name a few months later, and would completely vaporize two years later. It almost makes you cringe when you read McGrath wax ecstatic about the Seals and how they were going to be the next great Stanley Cup contender knowing how badly things would turn out soon after. Thanks to Pete Manzolillo for sending me this fun article, which you can read here.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! Welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful week.

Many of you may not be aware (I certainly wasn’t) that former Seal Reggie Leach was honoured this week with a King Charles III Coronation Medal. Reggie is of course known for his standout NHL career, which included both a Stanley Cup, and a Conn Smythe Trophy. He also hit the 50- and 60-goal plateaus during his time with the Philadelphia Flyers. As a member of the Seals, he was one of the few players to score back-to-back 20-goal seasons before being sent to the Flyers for future team captain Al MacAdam. In 934 career games, he scored 381 goals and 666 points, and added another 47 goals in 91 playoff games. Since retiring in 1983, he has worked tirelessly meeting and encouraging Native children to make good choices so that they can avoid making some of the mistakes he made, and that could have derailed his NHL career. Leach has been sober now for close to four decades, and has been an inspirational leader in Native communities in Northern Ontario. I’m very happy to hear that Reggie has been recognized for his work over the last forty years.

As I’ve mentioned a few times on this site, I met Reggie many years ago during the Seals 50th Anniversary Night in Toronto, and got to speak to him a little about his time in the NHL. He was a very humble man, polite, and even bought copies of my book for his kids. I gave him a free copy for himself as a thank you for attending the event along with Joey Johnston, Wayne King, and Marv Edwards. A few years before that, my uncle Pete knew someone who knew Reggie. My uncle told me that if I gave him a copy of my manuscript, he would get it to his friend so Reggie could sign it. I still have the autographed manuscript on my bookshelf today, along with an autographed photo of Reggie, circa 1972, right above my computer in my home office.

You can read all about Reggie’s incredible honour in an article from the Manitoulin Expositor right here. It is a very interesting read, so I hope you take a few minutes to check it out. On a side note, one thing I found interesting in the article is when his wife Carol mentions how Reggie is uncomfortable speaking in front of crowds. I remember Reggie as being incredibly articulate, natural, and comfortable answering questions at the Seals 50th Anniversary Night. Thanks to Pete Manzolillo for sharing the link to this article with me.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! It’s March break here in Ontario, and thus we’ve all had a bit more time to indulge in some personal activities, go out on the town for a quick family adventure, and play some extra video games. In my case, I got to spend a bit more time reading, one of my favourite activities, and probably not much of a surprise to any regular visitor to this site.

As I had promised last week, I have added a review of former Seal George Pesut’s new autobiography, The Fourth Period – Between the Ice Sheets: Hockey on Two Continents. Hot off the presses, and available on Amazon, it is a fascinating recollection of the journeyman’s 21-year professional career, which saw him take his talents to such far-reaching North American locales as Oakland, Calgary, and Wichita, and then across the pond to Davos, Switzerland, and just about every major city in West Germany. If you are a bit prudish, be warned, as the tales get a bit X-rated from time to time, but what else would you expect from a career spent mostly in the minor leagues and in some of the most sexually liberated cities in Europe. If you are looking for some new insights into the 1974-76 Golden Seals, who were highlighted in last week’s rare video footage (to which you can find a link here) Pesut’s book will certainly appeal to you, but the main highlight is undoubtedly the stories he weaves about his time playing in Switzerland and Germany. If you aren’t familiar with how European league hockey works, Pesut’s book will certainly enlighten you. You can read my review of the book right here. Let me know what you thought of the book too!

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! You’ve certainly picked a good day to come visit this site! Thanks to subscriber Pete Manzolillo, who came through in the clutch once again with some exciting new material that needed to be shared with all of you. An organization called Northeast Historic Film has been restoring and making available all sorts of rare 8mm film, and many of these films include some great 1970s NHL action. You should pay them a visit at www.oldfilm.org to check out their wonderful archive of found footage, including several old hockey clips from Boston Garden.

This week, I urge you to check out a fantastic 20-minute highlight reel from the first two periods of the Seals-Bruins game from March 14, 1976. The footage is beautifully restored, and includes only crowd noise, making it feel like you truly are at the Boston Garden watching the game unfold. You can check out this found footage for yourself over in the Video and Audio section.

And I have even more good news! In the coming weeks, I’ll be posting some new video clips as well as a book review for George Pesut’s new tome (I still have about 100 pages left to read), so be sure to check back later this month.

For those of you in and around Ottawa, I will be at the Capital Trade Show selling copies of my books and a wide array of hockey cards as well. The event takes place on Sunday, March 9 from 10-3 at the Nepean Sportsplex on Woodroffe Avenue, so if you’ve got a hankering to shop for old (or new) hockey cards and memorabilia, why don’t you stop in!

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! Boy, am I glad it is the weekend. What a week! I finally got over the cold that had bothered me early in the week, and now it is time to relax for a couple of days. As promised, this week we’re going right back to January 26, 1974, and the big grudge match between California and Philadelphia! The Flyers were ready to push their weight around, as usual. The Seals were preparing for whatever hell Bobby Clarke and company were ready to unleash. It was going to be an orgy of fists, flying sticks, thundering body checks, and broken bones. The fans in the stands had no idea what was going to happen, and I mean that literally. You see, all of the violence that night took place in the stands, while the players stood around staring at the mayhem going on all around them. The only beating the Seals took that night was on the scoreboard, much like the previous time the two teams had met. Some things don’t go as planned, but other things happen exactly as you would expect. If you want to read about the famous Seals-Flyers rematch, you can find this week’s article, from the San Francisco Examiner‘s Glenn Schwarz, right here.

In closing this week, I will be at the Sports Card and Comic Book Show at the Nepean Sportsplex. I will be selling copies of my books as well as a multitude of hockey cards next Sunday, March 9, from 10am-3pm, so if you’re in the area, stop in and do some shopping. It is the biggest sports card show in Ottawa, so if you’re into that sort of thing, you won’t be disappointed!

Until next time, stay gold!